CHAPTER 11
Alexa
There was a flurry of activity moving to and from the command ship when we docked the following morning, so much so that I longed for another quiet night with Naraq in the farthest reaches of the galaxy.
“You must see this,” Naraq’s commander said before we’d ever left the privacy of our ship.
“See what?” I blurted out.
The commander, a Sanctarian who stood almost as tall as Naraq with the customary white hair, braids, and dark eyes, lowered his head to me. “Because of you, we have met our quota.”
“What?” I asked, not quite believing what he said.
“Humans have come forward in droves. We may have more than enough.”
Naraq squeezed my hand.
“And your grandfather is awake and doing well, Alexa.”
A bright smile spread as I glanced at Naraq. “You do your Ruler Supreme thing, and I’m going to do my grandfather thing.”
Naraq actually chuckled. “Thing?”
“Yes, thing,” I laughed, already bolting for the medical lab.
“Do you know where you’re going, Alexa?” Naraq yelled.
I turned and walked backward, grinning from ear to ear. “You know I do.”
Naraq’s eyes narrowed, and he moved to come after me, but I held up one hand. “Later.”
His eyebrow lifted before I whipped around and continued on my way with a lighter step. The bonding clarified everything for me and significantly reduced the anxiety I’d been experiencing. Who knew sex could be so powerful?
I chuckled, rounding the corner into the medical lab, but froze in place. The man before me resembled my grandfather from twenty years ago. No longer did he slump, but his shoulders were broad and strong as he smiled at a technician.
My heart somersaulted in my chest. “Grandpa.”
When he turned to face me with that same smile in place, I ran toward him. “Look at you!”
He gathered me in his powerful arms, arms I remembered from my childhood, and hugged me tightly.
“Alexa,” he chuckled. “The cancer is gone. You were right.”
Tears of gratitude and love soaked his white shirt as I held onto the one man who’d been a constant in my life, the father who raised me, and the man I refused to let die. “Please tell me you want to live now.”
He slid one big hand over my head. “Looks like you’ll keep me around for a few more years.”
“Grandfather,” Naraq said behind me. “It’s good to see you so well.”
“You as well, grandson.”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing when my grandfather grabbed Naraq in a bear hug. Naraq’s eyes widened before narrowing to slits on me as my grandfather patted his back.